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From which language does the word autonomy originate?

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autonomy

American  

[aw-ton-uh-mee] / ɔˈtɒn ə mi /

noun

autonomies plural

1. independence or freedom, as of the will or one's actions.

   the autonomy of the individual.

2. the condition of being autonomous; self-government or the right of self-government.

   The rebels demanded autonomy from Spain.

3. a self-governing community.

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autonomy British  

/ ɔːˈtɒnəmɪ /

noun

1. the right or state of self-government, esp when limited

2. a state, community, or individual possessing autonomy

3. freedom to determine one's own actions, behaviour, etc

4. philosophy

   1. the doctrine that the individual human will is or ought to be governed only by its own principles and laws See also categorical imperative

   2. the state in which one's actions are autonomous

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• autonomist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• autonomies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of autonomy

First recorded in 1615–25; from Greek autonomía “independence,” equivalent to autónom(os) autonomous + -ia -y ³

Explanation

When a group wants to govern itself or a person wants to make independent decisions, they are looking for autonomy. Autonomy comes from the Greek roots auto meaning "self" and nomos meaning "custom" or "law." This reflects the political sense of the word — a group's right to self-government or self-rule. When a person seeks autonomy, he or she would like to be able to make decisions independently from an authority figure. Can you relate?

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

autonomy autonomies

He added: "What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them."

From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026

At a charter school, we have quite a bit of autonomy with what we teach.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

"It gives people a bit more independence and autonomy," he said.

From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026

“The EIB Group is deploying its full firepower to bolster Europe’s technological autonomy, industrial strength and economic competitiveness,” Nadia Calviño, the EIB’s president, said in a statement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

I’m guessing the former, because there is complexity, autonomy, and a relationship between effort and reward in doing creative work, and that’s worth more to most of us than money.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Spinning on an axis of anxiety, “Huesera” raises the provocative idea that motherhood can feel akin to a curse stripping one of stability and sacred autonomies.

From New York Times ● Jun. 8, 2022

They say it is an important step in closing the wounds left by the state takeover without sacrificing the autonomies that they say have been essential for driving academic progress.

From Washington Post ● May 10, 2016

Assimilating college sports into the university would prevent them from being run as autonomies or fiefdoms.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 9, 2015

Opinions in Spain would split according to autonomies and political colour.

From Economist ● May 15, 2012

The Constitution will provide the nation with the possibility of exercising its special energies in local autonomies delimited by natural, social and economic conditions.

From The Russian Revolution; the Jugo-Slav Movement by Kerner, Robert Joseph

Related Words

• freedom
• self-determination
• self-government
• self-rule
• sovereignty